UFC Fight Night 179: Cannonier vs Rodrigues

It will be interesting to see who dictates the terms of engagement and if conditioning and main event experience become factors, but regardless of how things shake out, the outcome of this one will be another significant result that helps shape the direction the division takes as we head towards spring.

A year ago, Youssef Zalal was fighting to get back on the UFC roster after three first-round finishes on the regional circuit. Tonight, he is 3-0 in his return to the Octagon and about to get into the biggest fight of his pro career against longtime featherweight contender Calvin Kattar.

From hot prospect to respected veteran, Edman Shahbazyan has battled through the ups and downs of the fight game to arrive at the APEX with the intention of having the best year of his career in 2025

Azerbaijan’s Sadykhov also punched his ticket to the big show through season six of the Contender Series, and three fights in, the “Black Wolf” has yet to taste defeat, as he impressively finished Evan Elder and McKinney before battling to a hard-fought draw with Viacheslav Borshchev last November.

In just seven UFC fights, Rodolfo Vieira has gone from decorated jiu-jitsu competitor to a mixed martial artist on the verge of joining the middleweight Top 15 as he prepares for tonight’s clash with Andre Petroski.

With the Class of 2024 from Dana White’s Contender Series starting to make noise in the Octagon, it’s time for featherweight prospect Jose Miguel Delgado to get his turn, and he wants to get the next chapter of his career off to a winning start against submission ace Connor Matthews.

Despite being one of the most decorated fighters in the history of the strawweight division, Angela Hill is still chasing a world title at 115 pounds, and tonight, she will make the walk to the Octagon for the 27th time in an attempt to hold off the charge of another hungry up and comer in Ketlen Souza.

Unbeaten as a professional, Brazil’s Rafael Estevam picked up his 12th win in the Octagon, where he defeated Charles Johnson, and after that victory in his UFC debut, he’s determined to keep the momentum going.

Sporting an impressive 16-1 pro record that includes 15 finishes and UFC wins over Mounir Lazzez, Trevin Giles and Ange Loosa, Gabriel Bonfim is poised to take his career to the next level as the new year begins

Just 22 years old, Elijah Smith has garnered positive notices for his skills and potential, and tonight, the Dana White’s Contender Series winner gets his chance to start battling the best of the best in the UFC when he faces off with a veteran standout in Vince Morales.

With 10 UFC fights under his belt, Mayes has paid his dues in the Octagon, and after a 2024 campaign in which he faced Caio Machado and Shamil Gaziev, “Lord Kong” is seeking a breakout year that begins with a win over Walker.

Jacqueline Cavalcanti ’ll attempt to extend her six-fight winning streak to seven at the expense of returning veteran Julia Avila.